Flash light



Oct. 15, 1929. PUQKEfT 1,731,438

FLASH LIGHT Filed June 4, 1926 10 jg 10 km 15 VIZ ATTORNEY" Patented Oct. 15, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAUL R. PUCKETT, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

BOND ELECTRIC CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE Application filed June 4,

This invention comprises a flash light having novel and improved means for controlling the opening and closing of the circuit which provides electric current to the lamp. A flash light commonly comprises a casing having alamp disposed in one end thereof and containing a battery of dry cells which provides the electric current for the lamp. The circuit which includes the lamp and the battery is opened and closed by a switch mechanism of some kind, and it is to this switch mechanism that my invention relates. The opposite end of the casing from that occupied by the lamp is usually closed by a cap which may be secured to the casing by screw threads or other means, and it is common to employ a compression spring disposed between the cap and the battery to hold the battery in position. This spring is commonly employed also as a conductor contacting with one of the terminals of the battery. I

The principal object of my invention is to provide means of novel and improved character for opening and closing the lamp circuit by movement of a member substituted in place of the cap referred to above, this movement being achieved either by direct pressure thereon exerted by the hand of the user or by movement of the means which retains the member on the casing. That is, the movement may be employed to momentarily flash the light or may be employed to close or open the circuit for a longer periodof time.

More specifically my invention comprises a conductor'upon the end of the casing remote from the lamp and following the periphery of this end of the case. In place of the usual cap I provide a retaining means which may be in the form of a ring threaded upon the casing and which retains a member of insulating material and having a conductor thereon adapted to contact with the first name-d conductor at any one of a plurality of points. In its simplest form this last named conductor is a disk which may, therefore, contact with the peripherally disposed conductor at an infinite number of points. The advantages ofthis construction will be better understood from the following description.

50 Referring now to the accompanying draw- FLASH LIGHT 1926. Serial no. 113,617.

ings in which I have shown selected embodiments of my invention:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a flash light constructed according to my invention and showing the invention as applied to a casing of insulating material,

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1, the battery being removed,

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the movable member, detached from the casing,

Figure 4 is a bottom plan View of the casing shown in Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 but showing my invention applied to a metallic casing.

Referring first to Figures 1, 2, 8 and 4, the numeral 1 designates a casing made of insulating material which may conveniently be fiber and having disposed at one end thereof a reflector 2 supporting the lamp 3. Secured on the end of the casing at which the lamp is disposed is a threaded sleeve 4 provided with a flange 5 overlapping the end of the casing. The reflector 2 is provided with a corresponding flange lying on top of the flange 5 and supporting the lens 6, which is held in position by means of the ring 7 threaded onto the sleeve 4, received beneath the flange 5, and in contact therewith is a conducting strip 8 extending the length of the casing and having its other end 9 secured to the end of the casing beneath a flange 10 of a sleeve 11 secured to the casing in the same manner as the sleeve 4. The sleeve 11 has threaded thereon a retaining member in the form of a ring 12 which is provided with the inturned flange 13. This flange supports and retains on the casing the disk 14 of insulating material such as fiber and which member forms a supporting means for the switch element 15 which is riveted to the supporting member 14, as shown. It will be seen that the ring 12 and the member 14 also cooperate to close this end of the casing.

The rivet 16 which secures the switch element 15 to the member 14 may also be employed to secure on the supporting member the compression spring 17. This spring is adapted-to contact with one terminal of the battery 18 and hold the battery in position so the otherterminal 19 will contact with the center terminal of the lamp 3. It will then be obvious to those skilled in the art that the lamp circuit comprises the reflector- 2 which contacts with the side terminal of the lamp and the conductingrstrip 8. In the position in which the parts are shown in Figure 1 the circuit is opened between the flange 10 and the disk 15 and, therefore. it will be obvious that these two members form switch elements which may be employed to control the circuit. When the ring 12 is screwed onto the casing a sufficient dis-- tance, these switch elements will come into contact with each other and the circuit will be completed through the disk 15 and the spring 17 to the other terminal of the battery.

Movement of the switch element 15 may be had with the corresponding movement of the retaining means exemplified by the ring 12. The supporting member 14 is held. in engagement with the flange 13 by means of the spring 17 but may be moved by pressure, of the thumb for example, without moving the retaining means and to position wherein the switch elements come into contact with each other. This movement may be employed to flash the light temporarily or the ring may be screwed onto the casing to close the circuit for a longer duration of time.

Referring to Figure 5, I have shown my invention as applied to a flash light employing a metallic casing. It will be obvious that it is equally applicable to such a casing. In this form, instead of employing the conducting strip 8 to form part of the circuit, the metallic casing 20 is used for that purpose, and instead of having the threaded sleeves a and 11, the rings 7 and 12 are threaded directly to the casing. The switch element 15 in this embodiment co-acts with the switch element 10, being a tapered flange formed by bending in the casing itself rather than the sleeve 11 as in the other form. The other end of the casing is provided with a similar tapered flange 5 to support the reflector. he annular bead 13 on the flange 13 will prevent a short circuit by a tool, or the like, contacting with the flange and also with the rivet 16. The operation of this form of my invention is identical with the forms shown in Figure 1 and the supporting member shown in Figures 3 and 4 is used with this form also.

From the above it will be apparent that l have provided a novel and improved switch for employment with a flash light. As stated above, the switch elements may be brought into contact either momentarily or for a long period of time. By providing the switch element 10 or 10 extending along the entire edge of the casing and by making the switch element 15 in the form of a disk, it will be obvious that the pressure exerted upon the supporting member 14, to momentarily close the circuit, need not be applied carefully. The spring 17 forms a conductor which is always in engagement with the battery so long as the ring 12 is in engagement with the casing. Therefore, all that is necessary to close the circuit is for some portion of the disk 15 to come into contact with the flange 10. This contact may be formed by tipping the disk 15 as well as by maintaining it perpendicular to the axis of the casing. The construction exemplifies co-acting switch elements adapted to be brought into contact at any one of a plurality of points.

From the above it will be apparent that I have provided novel and improved means which will achieve the objects of my inven tion set forth in the beginning of this specification in a very efficient manner. I am, of course, aware that various changes indetails may be made without departing from the scope of my invention and, therefore, I

do not intend to limit myself except by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A flashlight comprising a casing, a lamp disposed in one end thereof, a switch element in the lamp circuit and disposed on said casing adjacent the other end thereof, a second switch element comprising a disc of conductive material, means mounting said second element for movement relative to said first element and retaining said second element on said casing and closing said other end thereof, said retaining means beingmovable to bring said elements into contact, and said second element being movable into contact with said first element independently of movement of said retaining means.

2. A flashlight comprising a casing having a lamp in one end thereof, a battery to provide current for said lamp, a conductor normally in constant contact with one terminal of said battery, a member supporting said conductor, means retaining said member on said casing and cooperating therewith to close the other end of said casing, a switch element comprising a disc of conductive material carried by said member, and a second switch element secured to said casing, said member being movable to cause contact between said elements, said contact taking place when said member occupies any one of a plurality of positions.

3. A flashlight comprising a casing, a lamp disposed in one end thereof, a peripheral flange disposed at the other end of the casing and forming a switch element in the lamp circuit, a disc of a conductive material forming a second switch element and adapted to contact with said flange throughout its length, means retaining said disc on said casing and mounting said disc for movement thereof relative to said flange, said retaining means being movable to bring said switch elements into contact, and said disc being movable into contact with said flange independently of movement of said retaining means.

4:. A flashlight comprising a casing, a lamp disposed in one endthereof, aperipheralflange disposed at the other end of the casing and forming a switch element in the lamp circuit, a disc of a conductive material forming asecond switch element and adapted to contact with said flange throughout its length, means retaining said disc on said casing and mounting said disc for movement thereof relative to said flange, said retaining means being movable to bring said switch elements into contact, said disc being movable into contact with said flange independently of movement of said retaining means, said disc being supported upon a member of insulating material which insulates said disc from said retaining means.

5. A flashlight comprising a casing, a lamp disposed in one end thereof, a peripheral flange disposed at the other end of the casing and forming a switch element in the lamp circuit, a disk of a conductive material forming a second switch element and adapted to contact with said flange throughout its length, a battery in saidcasing, a spring disposed between said disk and said battery, and means retaining and movably mounting said disk on said casing, said spring holding said disk in engagement with said means but permitting independent movement of the disk into contact with said flange at any point in its length.

6. A flashlight comprising a casing, a lamp disposed in one end thereof, a peripheral flange disposed at the other end of the casing and forming a switch element in the lamp circuit, a disk of a conductive material forming a second switch element and adapted to contact with said flange throughout its length, a battery in said casing, a spring disposed between said disk and said battery, and means flange disposed at the other end of the casing and forming a switch element in the lamp circuit, a disk of a conductive material forming a second switch element and adapted to contact with said flange throughout its length, a ring threaded on said casing and having a flange supporting said disk whereby said disk may be moved independently of said ring and whereby movement of said ring on to said casing will bring said disk into contact with said first named flange, and a spring carried by said disk and adapted to cont-act with a battery in said casing.

9. A flashlight comprising a casing, a lamp disposed in one end thereof, a peripheral flange disposed at the other end thereof and forming a switch element in the lamp circuit, a ring threaded on said other end and having an inwardly extending flange, a disk of insulating material loosely supported on said flange and carrying a disk of conducting material forming a second switch element adapted to contact with, said first named switch element, and a spring carried by said disk and adapted to contact with a battery in said casing.

10. A flashlight comprising a casing, a lamp disposed in one end thereof and a peripheral flange disposed at the other end of the easing and forming a switch element in the lamp circuit, a disc of a conductive material forming a second switch element and adapted to contact with said flange, and a ring threaded on said casing and having a flange supporting sa id disc, whereby said disc may be moved independently of said ring, and whereby movement of said ring on to said casing will bring said disc in contact with said firstnamed flange. v

In testimony whereof, I have afliXed my signature to this specification.

PAUL R. PUCKETT.

retaining and movably mounting said disk on said casing, said spring holding said disk in engagement with said means but permitting independent movement of the disk into contact with said flange at any point in its length, 1

said retaining means being movable on, said casing to bring said disk into contact with said flange throughout its length.

7 A flashlight comprising a casing, a lamp disposed in one end thereof and a peripheral flange disposed at the other end of the casing and forming a switch element in the lamp circuit, a disk of a conductive material forming a second switch element and adapted to contact with said flange throughout its length, and a ring threaded on said casing and having a flange supporting said disk whereby said disk may be moved independently of said ring and whereby movement of said ring on to said casing will bring said disk into contact with said first named flange.

8. A flashlight comprising a casing, a lamp disposed in one end thereof and a peripheral 

